10 Home Décor Rules that Work Like Magic Everytime

This is in a designer's style bible.

Because sharing is caring, we’re revealing the top 10 home décor rules that most interior designers in the world swear by! Follow these design principles so you can revamp your home on your own and still get professional-looking interiors.

Ready?

Let’s get started!

☑ Select a standout piece

Every room needs a hero. By that, we mean any piece that steals people’s attention. It could be a feature wall, a bold rug, a charming light fixture, or a stunning furniture — it’s up to you.

Superdraft tips:

It’s alright to splurge on your room’s focal point.

Design around your hero piece. Aim for a cohesive look at all times.

Whether you want a symmetrical or asymmetrical interior, surround your hero piece with negative space so it can serve its purpose.

☑ Tame the polygons

The go-to furniture pieces for homeowners are square and rectangular shaped. Can’t blame them — it’s easier to arrange a space when your sectional sofas, beds, shelving units, dining tables, chairs, etc. have sides which you can work with! We recommend that you break the strong angles these pieces of furniture make by using round and oval pieces. Don’t be afraid to mix and match!

☑ Hang and display artworks properly

You display paintings and photographs at home so you and the other occupants can appreciate it. Everyone will acknowledge it better if it’s hung at the correct height.

Superdraft tips:

It’s best to keep the centre of the artwork (not the hook) at eye level.

We’re not fans of giving exact measurements because rules can be broken, but if you want it, here you go:

The ideal height to display art on a wall is between 57-60 inches.

You need 3-6 inches in between two pieces of art.

Allow 6-8 inches of wall space in between the bottom edge of the art and the highest point of the furniture under it.

☑ Visually increase ceiling height

Designers are masters of illusion. (Haha!) We can fake your ceiling height for you. Our trick is simple. Start with tall and slim architectural feature that can draw the eyes upward. A floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, curtains, or vertical wall stripes will do the job. Then, use low-profile furniture. This combination will visually increase your room height, making your home more spacious.

You can also paint the walls, skirting boards, and ceiling with the same colour to obscure the lines where the walls and ceiling meet.

☑ Lay a rug

Your rug plays an important role in the overall look of a room. Apart from adding interesting colours and textures in your space, this piece anchors the room. It’s also an inexpensive way to divide open-plan spaces.

Superdraft tip:

The bigger your rug in the living room, the better. Ensure that the two front legs of each chair stay on the rug. You can place all four legs of your chairs on the rug as well.

Rugs laid under the dining table must be wide enough so the legs of the chairs remain on the rug when in use.

☑ Let go of the items you hate

Some homeowners are guilty of impulse buying decor items especially when it’s on sale. Unfortunately, not everything that looks lovely on the store shelves will match your current interiors.

Displaying pieces that don’t work with the rest of your interiors will only lead to disappointments. So, get rid of those items that you hate! There is no room for frustration in your home. Replace them with something lovely and more meaningful to you.

☑ Pull the couch away from the wall

No, your sofa doesn’t have to be against your wall! (Happens all the time 😫). Pull it out for a metre or two from the wall and place a console table or a shelving unit next to it. A background like that is better than having a plain wall.

☑ Hang mirrors

Apart from adding depth and recycling light in the room, mirrors can be the hero piece too. Stylish mirrors are great investments as these piece of decor can dramatically transform your space.

☑ View the room from another perspective

If you’re finding it hard to assess your own design, we have a few tricks that you can use:

Take a step backwards and try to see the room as a whole, as an average reasonable person

Snap a photo of your home and evaluate your work through the picture.

Viewing the room from a distance or from a square instagrammable photo will help you pinpoint the things you need to add, remove, and replace.

☑ Celebrate negative space

Negative space is the breathing area of the design, the spot where you can rest your eyes for a while. Without this form of emptiness, there is no balance and harmony in your design.